In the 30 years since the launch of the National Lottery more than 100 creative projects have been funded across North East Lincolnshire because of funding from Arts Council England, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Since the middle of last year, when Create North East Lincolnshire picked up the reins from the original Grimsby Creates project, more than half a million pounds, funded partly through National Lottery players, has been spent on creative projects in the area. Projects funded through the National Lottery include:

• Edible Grimsby
• Festival of the Sea
• Our Future Starts Here
• Our Big Picture
• the Seagull trail in Cleethorpes
• poetry nights,
• live music, artistic classes and workshops
• More than 90 other exhibitions, craft days, short films

One of the latest works is a mural of a dad and daughter in a poppy field by artist Nikita Spires, which has recently been completed at the Willows in Grimsby, the 100^th project to be funded partly by Create North East Lincolnshire. The mural is just one of a diverse range of projects, ranging from children’s podcasts, to creative conferences, one-day festivals, inspirational crafts courses, writing workshops, immersive plays, gallery shows and exhibitions, which have been funded through Create NEL grants since last year. Meanwhile, the National Lottery Heritage Fund has been the backbone of the heritage restoration work to the balconies and shop fronts in Cleethorpes, bringing them back to their former Victorian splendour. The latest project to be completed is the dual shop front project on Sea View Street – with work all but completed this month.

Works have now started on new premises for charity Naomi’s Garden following a team of construction partners coming together to offer free labour and materials at cost price. Louth-based Naomi’s Garden provides conductive education to families who have loved ones with movement disorders, such as Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s, Dyspraxia and Motor Delay, as well as conditions including Autism, ADHD, sensory processing and genetic disorders and Long Covid. Having outgrown its current centre – which limited the number of families it could support – the small team of therapists at the charity raised enough funds to secure a new building, however funds are still needed to complete the purchase and to renovate it to make it fit for purpose. Landscape architecture practice, Influence Landscape Planning & Design, stepped in to support Naomi’s Garden by bringing together construction and professional services partners to move the project forward. Internal works have now officially begun by Lincolnshire firm GBM Demolition, who are stripping out and widening door frames. As previously reported, East Midlands-based construction partners who have committed to providing services are Influence, contractor G F Tomlinson, project manager and quantity surveyor Gleeds, solicitor Knights, and A + G Architects. New to the project are commercial fit-out company APSS, glazer Tradeglaze, GRS Electrical, retailer B&Q Louth, and West Lindsey Landscapes. The charity is still hoping to find a drainage, heating, and M&E partner. The new centre, located on Manby Park in Louth, was previously a motorcycle shop and needs extensive internal and external works to make it suitable for the charity to deliver its life changing services. The construction partners will be working together to completely transform the building, with works including internal strip out, raising floors, installing ramps, new windows and doors, complete interior decoration, and landscaping to the exterior. If enough money is raised, which is approximately £150,000, Naomi’s Garden’s new centre should be complete at the end of this year and welcoming families in early 2025. When complete, the new centre will enable the charity to extend its working hours, provide group sessions and create a dynamic learning environment for all – no matter what their disability, resulting in supporting many more adults and children each year. Managing director of Influence Landscape Planning and Design, Sara Boland, who lives in Louth, contacted Naomi’s Garden during the pandemic after having read about its plight and initially offered to help by providing landscaping services. That conversation continued to Sara offering to bring together a team of willing partners to deliver the works. Sara said: “It’s been a real journey to get to this stage. This small charity worked incredibly hard to get to this position and through sheer grit and determination, the new centre they so desperately need is now in sight. “A really big thank you to the companies which have supported us to date. What we are creating will positively impact so many lives and with these sort of services limited across the country, will offer more Lincolnshire and East Midlands-based families hope. “Fundraising continues while the construction team and I focus on finding new partners and getting the work done. Any offers of help toward the project, no matter the size, are always welcome.” Sarah-Jayne Walker, lead conductor at Naomi’s Garden, said: “As a small charity, we are overwhelmed by the kindness of local businesses who have come alongside us to help create Naomi’s Garden’s permanent home. “Teamed with the fundraising efforts of our community we have started to see the transformation take place. We, as trustees, are beyond grateful as we continue to build on Naomi’s Legacy. Here’s to the next stages!” Retailer B&Q at Louth recently chose the charity for its volunteering community day. At the end of October volunteers from the store spent a day creating some of the outside spaces, which included planting hedging, bulbs, hanging baskets, raised beds and clearing pathways. The retailer also donated £1,000 worth of B&Q materials which were needed for the day. West Lindsey Landscapes were also present, preparing and digging the ground for the hedging which they kindly donated. B&Q and West Lindsey Landscapes have transformed the external areas of the new centre. Naomi’s Garden has a SEND (Special Education Needs and Disabilities) specialist who works with the needs of children with autism, ADHD and sensory processing issues, and with the help of Lincolnshire County Council, also provides free school holiday provision services including free healthy meals and enriching activities. To make a donation towards Naomi’s Garden’s new centre, please visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/naomis-gardens-big-move?utm_campaign=p_nacp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

West Lindsey District Council has formally lodged an objection to the proposed Tillbridge Solar Project, urging the Secretary of State for Energy security and Net Zero, to refuse development consent over serious concerns over the project’s landscape impact, visual effects, and potential implications for local communities. The Tillbridge Solar Project is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and therefore not decided through the normal local planning processes, which means that the council is not the decision-making body for this application.  It is decided by the Secretary of State, following a six-month examination by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate, whether to grant a Development Consent Order. The project which includes solar PV arrays, electrical substations, battery energy storage systems, and a cable route corridor connecting to the National Grid Cottam Substation, is currently one of five NSIP solar developments being proposed for development in the district. West Lindsey District Councillor  Lesley Rollings said: “We are committed to our role as the host authority, working to ensure that our communities are informed and involved. We urge residents to engage in the Open Floor Hearing, where they can express their perspectives and learn more about the potential impact of the Tillbridge Solar Project. “The Council will continue its efforts to advocate for responsible development in West Lindsey, balancing renewable energy needs with the preservation of local landscape, heritage, and community integrity.” In a written statement, the council asserts that the project does not align with key local and national policies meant to safeguard the district’s environment and community well-being. In related news, the council has welcomed a recent decision by the Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero to delay until the end of January the final decision on the West Burton Solar Project. This delay, announced via a statement in Parliament earlier this month, follows objections from the council and Historic England concerning the impact of that project on heritage sites, including the medieval Stow Park Deer Park and the setting of the Bishop’s Palace. It underlines the importance of thoroughly assessing solar projects to ensure they align with environmental and heritage protections. The Secretary of State has requested that the developer make adjustments, including removing panels from these sensitive areas. The council will submit further comments on these matters by the December 9 deadline for public feedback.

North East Lincolnshire Council Trading Standards team have seized illicit tobacco products worth about £100,000 during Stoptober. The team and partner organisations such as Humberside Police uncovered 28,120 cigarettes, 12.45 kilos of tobacco and 3133 illegal disposable vapes in a number of shops during the four-week operation. The products have an estimated value of over £100,000. Shops and businesses on Freeman Street, Cromwell Road, Yarborough Road, and Second Avenue on the Nunsthorpe estate were all visited. The raids were part of Operation CeCe, an ongoing intelligence-led operation, targeting counterfeit and illicit cigarettes, tobacco and illegal disposable vape dealers. Since January 2021, North East Lincolnshire Council Trading Standards team have seized 84,957 packs of cigarettes, 10,750 pouches of tobacco and over 17,000 illegal vapes, with a combined value of almost £1.8 million, all money which would have gone out of the local economy and into the hands of organised crime gangs. Humberside Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for Grimsby West Claire Jacobs said: “We deployed our teams in support of North East Lincolnshire Council during this important operation to combat illicit cigarettes and tobacco within North East Lincolnshire. “We continue our commitment through the Clear Hold Build initiative to ensuring that Grimsby remains a fantastic place, and working closely with partners on operations such as this one helps us to do exactly that.” By law, Vapes should have an internal tank capacity of no more than 2ml, and the level of nicotine contained in the vaping fluid should not exceed 2 per cent. Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, said: “This joint operation shows just how important it is to work together. Multi-agency operations such as these are keeping these products, that do not meet safety standards and are putting lives at risk, off the streets. We know illicit and fake cigarettes do not comply with the Reduced Ignition Propensity requirements and won’t self-extinguish, so are likely to start a fire. “When you buy these products, you could be putting your own health at risk. Not only has no duty been paid on them but they’ve not been tested to ensure they’re safe.” He added: “It is important to remember that whilst legitimate disposable vaping bars can be a very useful aid to smokers who are wanting to quit, they still have potential health issues as a result of use,  and should never be purchased and used by non-smokers”.